Wine from a Motor Factory

*Disclaimer: This content is not paid or sponsored in any way. It is written as an informational guide for readers to explore and experience the winery mentioned in the post.

          What can I say about a winery in the Marathon Village district of Nashville, TN?  Too much, that’s what!  I honestly wanted to wait to write about this winery because there’s not one but three of them in three different locations with three different atmospheres and vibes!  I wanted to be able to talk about all three of them in one post.  Crazy, right?!  I will tell you briefly what I know about the three different Grinder’s Switch Winery, with very, very little on one of them.  I have yet to make it to the Columbia location and sadly, I am unsure of when I can put it in my plans that one, but one day!  From what I have read about it, it has a relaxed boutique/ loungey vibe.  A place to go and sit for a while. That is in contrast to the Marathon Village location, but we’ll get into that momentarily, as that is the focused location for this post.  The third site in Centerville, TN is the original location which also houses the vineyard.  A beautiful location for sipping delectable wine in a nature encased observatory, where the grapes are grown, with lots of history.

          The focus here, however, is Marathon Village.  The area is interesting and rich in its history.  It is home to the former Marathon Motor Works company started in 1906 in Jackson, TN 💛.  The company was moved to this area northwest of downtown Nashville and operated as the first to totally manufacture automobiles in the southern United states.  In the mid-80’s the first building was purchased by Barry Walker and his vision was to preserve the history and architecture while creating space for business and creativity.  

          Enter Grinder’s Switch Winery- Marathon Village in 2015.  As the second location for the winery, this cute space offers a very long bar, a back bar for private tastings and many souvenirs for purchase.  Housed inside the old motor works factory along with a distillery and other shops, the walk down is nostalgic with old engine parts, wooden theatre seats along the walls and more.  Inside the Winery, you will definitely stand next to someone you do not know…yet.  What Grinder’s Switch offers just as big as the wine is personality!  The cute teal wall that bears its name is a great photo op.  I’ve taken photos with bridal parties and servers alike against this backdrop.  Speaking of the servers, that is one of the offerings that makes the experience at Grinder’s Switch Marathon Village so amazing.  More about that in ‘The Experience’ section.

The Wine:

          Some of the wines here are just Willie, Willie good. 😄  At least that’s what I was told when I was getting ready to try the Honeysuckle Rose.  It was named as an homage to Willie Nelson’s tour bus of the same name.  And y’all (my Tennessee accent is strong here), it was definitely Willie good.  It is a sweet blush wine that is big on flavor and sweetness.  This one was juicy to me.  It boasts a honey sweetness alongside fresh picked grapes mixed with slightly tart apples.

          A favorite of mine, which is surprising, is the Vidal Blanc.  It was surprising to me because white wines have been on my ‘pass me by’ list for a good while.  But the belief is that your taste buds change every seven years and mathematically, this is the beginning of my next seven years. (Yes, I am over 21, but we’re not here to discuss how much overage.  Haha)  That being said, I started giving white wines a second chance recently and I have been shocked at how I not only tolerate some of them, but I truly liked them.  Before, they almost made me gag, there was something so harsh about them on my palate.  Anyway, Grinder’s Switch’s Vidal Blanc was definitely a surprise to me and it got onto my ‘pick me’ list.  It was super refreshing and citrusy.  Grapefruit comes through, but not your super tart grapefruit.  This wine, for me, is good cold.  At home, I chilled this wine almost until ice crystals formed, then I let it slightly warm with the room temp as I ate my meal.  The flavors on this one are delicious and slightly buttery right out of the bottle but when it was chilled and allowed to acclimate, the flavors of the citrus danced even more.  Now if it is a hot summer day, drink this one ice cold and marvel at how good it tastes.

          There are quite a few good ones at Grinder’s Switch, and to my knowledge at the time of writing this post, all of the locations offer the same wines, just different experiences. (And remember, the experience adds to the wine.)  I won’t mention them all because it is my hope that you will go and try them for yourself.  I value that you take my word, but I want to inspire you to try these wines as well.  

          The last one I will mention here is the Blackberry Express.  Oh boy, that train is a-chuggin’! (yes I said, ‘a-chuggin’ 😆)  I knew I had to take a seat when I asked to purchase a bottle of one of the sweet wines.  As you can probably tell, I judge sweet wines a little harder than dry.  Not because they are bad, but because my taste buds and sweet wines are like siblings who would rather be the only child sometimes.  Nevertheless, I’m not one to pass up an opportunity to try something new and the Blackberry Express was a pleasant ride.  The blackberry flavor is like picking them off the bush and macerating them with pure cane sugar.  Sweet, a little tart, rich but not heavy, this wine is a delight for sure.  It has a dessert quality without being too alcohol forward.  I can say, Grinder’s Switch Blackberry Express wine is one of my favorites.  And guess what…it is their sweetest wine.  Isn’t that something!

          A couple bonuses to try are the Ivory Mist* and Razzbury.  The Ivory mist is like a spritzer sans carbonation.  Light and refreshing.  The Razzbury reminds me of starburst candy, juicy with a tiny bit of pucker.  

*I did not see Ivory Mist on the GSW’s website under their wines so it may not be available.  Inquire within the location you visit. 

The Experience:

          I have been able to visit this location twice and the worst thing I can say about it is…the parking.  Not that parking is bad, it’s not, but my experiences with it haven’t been great.  I got a ticket (expensive) the first time and the parking fees had more than doubled this last time.  This in no way is a reflection on Grinder’s Switch Winery or any other business in the area.  It is just the way of bigger cities in order to provide services.  

          But on a more positive note, the experience of the winery has been overwhelmingly good.  I have met people from New York, Virginia, Alabama and even a couple who lived in the same small town as one of my best friends!  

          The wines are ‘fun’ to me.  I could definitely have them with a nice dinner, but there is something fun about the wines here.  I do think that it has to do with the atmosphere because the same wines are at their original location with the vineyard and they seem more mellow  there.  The wine and the people.  The wines at the Marathon location seem to pick up the vibe of the many bridal parties and out of town party bus characters. Either that or they create the atmosphere for these celebrations.  As I stated, there are people from all walks of life visiting this area so there is no shortage in the possibility of meeting a new friend.  But get there early because many of the shops close around 5 or 6 pm.  Grinder’s Switch entertains their guests to the last minute.

          I mentioned earlier the amazing servers at Grinder’s Switch- Marathon Village.  I don’t want to name names, but Ariel and Brandon are some of the most down-to-earth people you could ever meet.  You may walk in and catch them wearing colorful fake mustaches, just because.  To have someone remember your name months after meeting you only one time says a lot to me.  Largely because I have never been able to remember names well.  But you get the picture.  We talked about Brandon’s hangout spots and Ariel’s homemade lumpia.  They asked about my website, recalling that it was but a dream months before when I first visited.  They connected with me on Instagram to support as well.  It is a laughing and encouraging good time when I visit and I know it will be for you as well.  (Please read the shout at at the end of this post, good info for future visits to Nashville)

Tastings:

          $15 per person for a full tasting at the Marathon Village location.  You can also taste either the sweet or the dry wine menu and receive 5$ off of the purchase of a bottle of wine during that visit.  

*There is also an option for a wine and cheese pairing in their back bar for a fee.  Reservations must be made.  (See Grinder’s Switch’s website for more info., linked below)

My Takeaway:

          Great wine and great people make great memories.  That is what I have gotten at Grinder’s Switch Winery-Marathon Village.  If you want to meet people from different places, try some good wine, get in a little bit of downtime and see some well-preserved history, this is the place to go.  The people behind the bar are welcoming and knowledgeable and fun!  You can’t beat that.  Along with the different offerings of wine and slushies as well as souvenirs, this is a stop in Nashville that has the same energetic buzz without the hustle and bustle of the city.  

For more info (Nashville-Marathon Village location), go to: https://gswinery.com/nashville-location/